Letter: Withdraw advisers, aid from Middle East

There are no governments in the Mideast capable of controlling all of their innumerable religious and cultural populations. The populations are unstable and decentralized, yet we continue to pour in big money with few tangible results, except perhaps resentment. A new anti-Western faction seems to arise daily.

Three of our servicemen were attacked by a group of rowdies in Turkey, completely unprovoked ["U.S. sailors roughed up in Istanbul," News, Nov. 13].

This attack in Turkey in no way calls for U.S. troops. It's time we acknowledge the fact that we have zero influence over these countless sects and groups.

We must rapidly extricate ourselves from all those conflicting cultures in the Middle East, both militarily and financially. We would be better off using our resources here.

Roy Lawrence, Syosset